April 2012

The theme of our Sunday liturgies in the Easter period has been centred around doubt. We have listened to the story of the Doubting Thomas and heard Jesus saying, “Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe.”

Today, we have yet another story about doubt from the Acts of the Apostles, where the disciples would not believe that St. Paul had changed his stripes and become a believer, until they saw...

NEW HAVeN (SE): The Divinity Library at Yale University in the United States of America (US) has announced that it has formed an agreement with the Hong Kong Baptist University to increase its documentation of contemporary Asian Christianity.

An article published in the Yale Daily News on April 5 says, “The Hong Kong Baptist University is an excellent partner for us because of its library’s rich, special...

HONG KONG (SE): The Union of Myanmar, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam remain at the top of the list of countries of greatest concern in the 2012 report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Speaking at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, the day that the diocese celebrates the collegiality of its priests with the bishop, as well as Christ’s gift of the Eucharist to the Church, the bishop of Hong Kong dwelt on the urgent need for more people to put their names down to provide this vital service for the community.

LAHORE (SE): The Church in Pakistan is mourning the death of one of his finest sons and a true man of the people, former air force pilot and human rights advocate, Cecil Chaudhry.

Chaudhry was a close friend and collaborator of the assassinated minister for minority affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti, as well as an advocate for and hands on proponent of education for children from poor families and those with special needs....

BHUBANESHWAR (AsiaNews): In Orissa state in India, the scene of violent sectarian violence and Christian persecution in recent years, more than 10,000 Christians and Hindus celebrated Easter together on April 8.

Significantly, one celebration was held on the grounds of the Vijaya Catholic School in Raikia, Kandhamal District, scene of violent anti-Christian scenes in 2008 by radicals in the name of Hinduism....

WENZHOU (Agencies): Bishop Peter Shao Zhumin and Peter Jin Lugang of Nanyang, together with Father Paul Jiang Sunian, all of whom had been held by the Chinese authorities, were released from custody on April 8, UCA News reported on April 16.

All three belong to unofficial communities of the Church. Bishop Shao, from Wenzhou, had been detained for four weeks and Bishop Jin, from Nanyang in Henan province, for four...